This
was the last chance for Fabio Capello to look at some of the options
before he trimmed his World Cup squad from 30 to 23 players, and it was
interesting to see who grabbed their last chance. Not unexpectedly the
match was a poor one overall, and England's performance reflected the
disjointed team selection and formation. It was also noticeable that,
whatever anyone thinks, the players were not prepared to risk being
injured with the tournament now just days away, and the performance
reflected that mood. Having said all that, it was good to note a
second-half fightback that kept England's winning run going, against a
spirited Japanese side, who will also be competing in South Africa.

After a bright enough start England found
themselves a goal down after just seven minutes. If one thing is
worrying the manager it will be his side's incapacity to keep a clean
sheet and the defensive frailties were evident again with the goal. It
came from a corner taken by Yasuhito Endo and the England players were
asleep as Marcus Tanaka hit the ball past David James. Both Glen
Johnson and Tom Huddlestone should shoulder the bulk of the blame but
most of the defenders were guilty of ball watching.

So once again England had to snap out of a
lethargic opening and to be fair they tried hard to string some passes
together. Japan were winning the midfield battle however and all too
often they easily broke through to the England rearguard. But James
hardly had a save to make as Japan lacked punch in attack. At the other
end Frank Lampard hit a dipping long-range effort, which was scrambled
clear by goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima, with some difficulty. Then
England's best attack of the first half almost brought an equaliser as a
superb Wayne Rooney run and pass gave the speeding Aaron Lennon a guilt
edged chance on his left foot. Kawashima got down well to block the
shot but Lennon really should have scored. It almost proved very costly
when another Japanese attack ended with a shot just over at the other
end. Rooney did manage another near miss when he cleverly deflected a
Huddlestone shot, destined for the corner flag, just wide of the post.

Not for the first time Capello had to have a
rethink at the break, and the sight of five substitutes waiting to come
on as the players emerged after the interval reflected that. On came
Joe Hart, Jamie Carragher, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Steven Gerrard and Joe
Cole and immediately there was a distinct improvement in England's
performance. Gerrard, on his 30th birthday, looked really
sharp and Joe Cole was eager to make up for his lost time through
injury. Joe Hart, too, looked as though he was making a late challenge
for the number one goalkeeping slot and he was soon in action with a
good save from Keisuka Honda.

Japan's attacks were less frequent now though as
England pressed their midfield more convincingly, but it took a moment
of madness from Honda to offer England a way back into the match. The
Japanese player blatantly blocked a free-kick from Lampard with his arm
and the referee had no hesitation in giving a penalty. The Chelsea
player stepped up, but just as he had done in the FA Cup Final, he
fluffed the kick. This time Kawashima got down well to his right to
push the ball away. It is a bit worrying, especially with England's
past record, when your main penalty taker is missing two in a row with a
World Cup just around the corner!

However, England were much more in control during
this period of the game with Gerrard and Joe Cole adding much more to
the England attacking play. Hondo did force Hart to make another
excellent save as the goalkeeper continued to impress, but England were
now looking a little more threatening themselves. It was Joe Cole who
finally created the breakthrough in the 72nd minute after he
found himself on the right. As his cross came in Tanaka equalised his
earlier goal by deflecting the cross past the unfortunate Kawashima. It
was a stroke of luck, that is true, but by now England deserved the
goal. Rooney saw a fine shot brilliantly saved by the goalkeeper and
both Gerrard and Lampard then went close. With seven minutes to go,
with the rain now lashing down in the stadium and thunder and lightening
crashing all around, another slice of good fortune gave England
victory.
This
time it was Ashley Cole who broke down the left and aimed a cross to
Rooney at the far post. It probably wouldn't have reached the striker
but no matter, central defender Nakazawa, decided to have a touch of the
greasy ball and again it deflected into the net for an own goal. It was
the first time England had had two own goals scored for them in the same
match, and you had to feel a little sorry for the guilty Japanese
players as they had otherwise had excellent games for their country.

Capello sent on Emile Heskey for the last five
minutes, for what reason it was unclear, but it did give the Aston Villa
player the chance to miss an absolute sitter from Gerrard's pinpoint
cross.

So, England got out of jail and claimed a rather
fortuitous win, but a win is a win and England can now concentrate on
the job in hand, namely to win the World Cup. One last observation, it
has often been evident in football and in cricket, that if all eleven
players perform well in an England shirt at the same time, then we can
beat anyone. We must carry no passengers on the journey through the
next few weeks.